Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Kenley Jansen, right, celebrates with catcher Will Smith after an MLB baseball game against the New York Yankees in Los Angeles, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019. The Dodgers won 2-1. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Kenley Jansen throws during the ninth inning of the team’s baseball game against the New York Yankees in Los Angeles, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019. The Dodgers won 2-1. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

New York Yankees starting pitcher CC Sabathia reacts after giving up a two-run home run to Los Angeles Dodgers’ Justin Turner during the third inning of an MLB baseball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Justin Turner, right, celebrates with Matt Beaty after a baseball game against the New York Yankees in Los Angeles, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

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New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run off Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tony Gonsolin during the fourth inning of an MLB baseball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

New York Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius fields a popup fly by Los Angeles Dodgers’ Will Smith during the first inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Kenley Jansen, right, celebrates with catcher Will Smith after the team’s baseball game against the New York Yankees in Los Angeles, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019. The Dodgers won 2-1. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Justin Turner hits a two-run home run during the third inning of an MLB baseball game against the New York Yankees in Los Angeles, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Max Muncy, right, throws to first after forcing out New York Yankees Gleyber Torres during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019. Gio Urshela was safe at first. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Justin Turner, right, celebrates with Cody Bellinger after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of an MLB baseball game against the New York Yankees in Los Angeles, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

New York Yankees relief pitcher Nestor Cortes Jr. throws to the plate during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Max Muncy falls while looking to throw to first after New York Yankees’ Brett Gardner ran into him, on a grounder hit by Gio Urshela during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019. The Dodgers won 2-1. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tony Gonsolin delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees in Los Angeles, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Matt Beaty attempts to throw to first after misplaying a grounder by New York Yankees’ Brett Gardner during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019. The Dodgers won 2-1. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge, right, celebrates with Gleyber Torres after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Los Angeles, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

New York Yankees’ Masahiro Tanaka, of Japan, smiles in the dugout during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

LOS ANGELES – In the Dodgers’ quest to field a cromulent major league bullpen, Saturday was a good measure of their progress.

Joe Kelly and Pedro Baez did their jobs, combining to pitch three scoreless innings of relief in a one-run game against the New York Yankees.

Kenley Jansen? Close enough.

Jansen didn’t make it look easy, but he completed the task in the Dodgers’ 2-1 win. The embattled right-hander struck out Mike Tauchman and Gary Sanchez with the bases loaded to record his 27th save of the season, his first since Aug. 6.

Jansen blew a save Wednesday against the Blue Jays. He blew his last save opportunity before that, Aug. 9 against the Diamondbacks. This game featured the closest facsimile of a World Series preview that regular season baseball can offer: a save opportunity in a one-run game against the American League’s best team. The best record in baseball was at stake.

Afterward, Jansen struck a philosophical tone.

“Just believe in yourself and that’s why I’m there today,” Jansen said. “Go out there, compete, don’t let that situation unroll you. Stop being angry for a second. I’m going to continue to say: be happy, let it be, let it be.”

Justin Turner hit a two-run home run against CC Sabathia (5-8) in the third inning, and Aaron Judge followed with a solo home run against Tony Gonsolin (2-1) in the fourth. The two homers accounted for all of the scoring before an announced crowd of 53,803 at Dodger Stadium.Kelly and Baez combined to allow only two baserunners and strike out five. After Baez struck out the side in the eighth inning – each a swinging strikeout on a different pitch – the Yankees’ 3-4-5 hitters were due up against Jansen in the ninth.

Facing a 3-and-1 count, Didi Gregorius opted to lay two consecutive bunt attempts down a vacant third-base line. Both bunts trickled foul by inches, and Jansen was credited with a strikeout.

Then things got interesting.

Gleyber Torres singled to the right of second base, which Max Muncy had vacated in a defensive shift. Brett Gardner hit a soft ground ball between first base and the pitcher’s mound. Jansen raced over to cover first base, but Gardner beat the throw.

The next batter, Gio Urshela, hit a ground ball to Turner, who had to hurry his throw from third base to force out Gardner at second. Gardner was ruled out initially, but the call was overturned after a replay review.

The Yankees had challenged that Gardner was safe. The Dodgers challenged that Gardner was in violation of Rule 6.01(j), the so-called “Chase Utley Rule.” The two players made contact above the bag, spilling Muncy to the ground.

“He got me pretty good,” Muncy said of Gardner.

But Muncy believed the slide was clean, and the umpires ultimately agreed. They also agreed to grant Jansen and catcher Will Smith timeout when Muncy hit the ground. When Torres tried to score from third base, ostensibly unaware the Dodgers had been granted timeout, he was ordered back to the bag.

Next up was Mike Tauchman. Jansen threw the rookie three pitches, all strikes. After a pair of cutters at the top of the zone, Jansen ran inside with a 94-mph fastball. Tauchman whiffed.

Sanchez, in his second at-bat off the Yankees’ bench, fouled off a pair of cutters then watched a third miss outside. Jansen went back outside with a sinker. Sanchez whiffed, and the game was over.

Roberts has criticized Jansen for over-reliance on his cut fastball this season. Saturday, the manager said, “I thought the sequencing was better.”

Jansen said it inspired confidence in his secondary pitches.

“All the at-bats that I have, they were uncomfortable at-bats today,” he said. “It’s not like they were taking a big rip off me.”

Gonsolin, a 25-year-old right-hander, was making his fourth career start. Sabathia, a 39-year-old left-hander, was making his 557th. Both are natives of the north Bay Area – Sabathia hails from Vallejo, Gonsolin from Vacaville.

Gonsolin said they met at a charity event when Gonsolin was in high school and Sabathia was early in his Yankees tenure.

“He probably doesn’t remember me,” Gonsolin said.

That might change.

Gonsolin began the third inning by hitting a 90-mph grounder off Sabathia’s leg, ruled a single. With one out, Turner launched his 23rd home run of the season to left-center field, beyond the outstretched glove of a leaping Brett Gardner. The Dodgers took a 2-0 lead. Judge led off the fourth inning with a 424-foot homer to center field.

In the third inning, Sabathia hit a 97-mph flyout to right field in his only at-bat. Sunday’s series finale is the Yankees’ last interleague game of 2019. Sabathia has already announced he will retire after the season, so it’s possible that Gonsolin threw him the final pitch he’ll ever face.

“That’s pretty cool,” Gonsolin said. “I feel like he hit that ball pretty well too, just right at (Cody Bellinger) so that was great. That would be a really cool thing. Hopefully he feels good about how he hit it. He hit it really well.”

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